Copyright © 2026 Kotomora. All Rights Reserved.

Words Kanji Guides About

急転直下 (きゅうてんちょっか) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

急きゅう転てん直ちょっ下か

きゅ

う

て

ん

ちょ

っ

か

Freq.FrequencyTop 100,000

Meanings

1

noun, noun or participle which takes 'suru', intransitive verb

sudden and drastic change; taking a sudden turn

yojijukugo (four-character idiom)

Describes a situation that changes abruptly and dramatically, often for the worse. Commonly used in news and formal contexts.

事じ態たいは急きゅう転てん直ちょっ下か、最さい悪あくの結けっ果かを迎むかえた。
The situation took a sudden turn and ended in the worst possible outcome.

交こう渉しょうが急きゅう転てん直ちょっ下かして、合ごう意いに至いたった。

The negotiations took a sudden turn and reached an agreement.

Kanji

急hurry, emergency, sudden
転revolve, turn around, change
直straightaway, honesty, frankness
下below, down, descend

Similar words

急きゅう変へん
急変 means a sudden change or emergency, often used for weather or medical conditions, while 急転直下 emphasizes a dramatic turn of events in a situation.
一いっ変ぺん
一変 means a complete change, but 急転直下 adds the nuance of suddenness and often a downward turn.

Etymology

A yojijukugo composed of 急 (sudden), 転 (turn), 直 (immediate), and 下 (down). The phrase literally means 'suddenly turn and go straight down,' figuratively describing a rapid, often negative, change in circumstances.